Cane grab



Oct. 14, 1941. T. 'A. GUILD CANE GRAB Filed Sept. 25, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 1 j 3mm rA/qM/ve 0. 60/4 0,

Oct. 14, 1941. I T. A. GUILD 2,259,376

CANE GRAB Filed Sept 25, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 g 6 i g Zjwumvkw filo/was l7. GUILD Patented Oct. 14, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE-- CANE GRAB Thomas A. Guild, Waipahu, Territory of Hawaii Application September 23, 1940, Serial No. 358,013

4 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in grabs or the like and more particularly to grabs employed in gathering and picking up sugar cane for loading it in transporting vehicles.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a grab wherein the grab arms are unencumbered with sheaves, drums or other devices commonly employed to obtain increased power and thus are left free to more readily and effectively perform their intended functions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a more efficiently operating grab requiring a minimum of wire rope or chain for operating it.

A further object of the invention is to provide a grab with improved operating means so that the grab arms may be opened with facility and thereby enable the load to be readily and quickly discharged at the will of the operator.

A primary feature of the invention consists in providing the grab with a lifting and supporting frame to which a pair of pivotally connected grab arms are movably attached by links or the like, a pair of operatively connected drums being rotatably mounted on the frame in spaced relation to the grab arms, one of said drums being adapted to have a wire rope wrapped around it for operating both of the drums and flexible means being connected to the other one of said drums and to the grab arms adjacent their point of pivotal connection so that, when the drums are rotated in one direction, the flexible means will be wound around the drum to which it is attached and thus cause the grab arms to close.

Another feature of the invention consists in rigidly connecting the two drums mounted on the lifting and supporting frame of the grab and in making the drum which is operatively connected to the grab arms of smaller diameter than the other drum.

A still further feature of the invention consists in providing the larger of the two drums with a rim of substantial mass so that it may function in the manner of a fly wheel and thus permit the grab arms to readily open by assisting in overcoming the inertia of the power drum around which is wrapped the wire rope leading to the larger diameter drum on the grab.

Other and more specific features of the invention, residing in advantageous forms, combinations and arrangements of parts, will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a plan View of the grab in open position.

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of the grab in open position.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the grab in closed position.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the grab taken on a line corresponding to line 4--4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the grab and an operating crane.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I indicates the grab generally, having a lifting and supporting frame 2 which may be conveniently formed of two suitably shaped laterally spaced side members or plates 3 rigidly connected in any convenient manner, such as by being welded to the ends of a plurality of interposed tubes or rods 4.

Movably associated with the lifting and supporting frame are a pair of grab arms 5 which may be formed of steel tubing so as to provide a plurality of tines 6 rigidly connected by tubes or rods 1. The arms are pivotally connected to each other adjacent one end by a pivot pin 8 and intermediate'their ends each is movably connected to the lifting and supporting frame 2 by a pair of links 9, the links being respectively connected to the frame by pins [0 and to the arms by pins ll mounted in lugs or brackets I2 formed rigid with the arms.

Mounted on the lifting and supporting frame intermediate the side plates thereof are two drums l3 and [4, respectively. These drums are operatively connected so that rotation of one will induce rotation of the other, the connection between the drums in the present embodiment being a rigid one efife'cted by screws or the like l5. As is apparent from the drawings, the two "drums are of unequal diameters and it has been found advantageous for the diameter of drum 3 to be approximately two and one-half times that of drum M. It will be understood, however, that the relative diameters of the two drums may be Varied to suit operating conditions.

Being rigidly connected, the two drums are concentric with respect to each other and they are revolubly mounted on a single shaft l6 which is in the form of a bolt and is supported at-opposite ends in the side members 3 of the frame 2, a nut I! being threaded on one end of the shaft I6 so as to hold the latter rigidly in place. For

a purpose which will hereinafter appear, the

periphery of the large diameter drum I3 is provided with a rim of substantial mass,

Connected to the pivot pin 8 which connects the grab arms 5 is a link member I8 which affords convenient means to which one end of a wire rope or cable I9 may be suitably secured, the other end of the rope being fastened to the drum I4 so that, when the latter is rotated, the rope will be wound about its periphery to raise the connected ends of the grab arms and thus cause the arms to move to closed position.

Rotation of drum I 4 is effected by a Wire rope or cable 20 which is anchored at one end to the large diameter drum l3 and at its other end is wound around an operating drum A which, when the grab is used for gathering and collecting cane, may be conveniently located on a crane 13 having a. boom C provided with a sheave D over which the wire rope 20 may pass.

The periphery of each of drums I3 and I4 is provided with a spiral guide groove for receiving. the particular cable which is intended to be wound therearound, the groove on oneof the 'drums being arranged opposite to the groove on In connecting the o-losing wire rope :or cable u .19 to its associated parts, it will be found convenient to connect one end thereof to drum I4 and without wrapping it around the drum make its other end fast to the grab arms 5 when the latter are disposed in open position; while'in coni necting the operatingrope 20 to drum 13, it will be appreciated that the grab arms should be fully closed.

To. place the grab with its arms in open position over a pile of sugar cane (not shown), the A crane operator sets crane drum E in motion so as 'towind up rope '21 and releases the brake (not shown) on crane drum A, thus leaving slack in the" operating rope 20. Toclose the grab arms on the cane pile (not shown), the operator starts crane drum A in operation thus taking .up the slack in line '20 and causing drum l3 to rota'tein a. clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2. 13mm M being rigid with drum i3, rotates in thes'ame direction as the latter and :thus causes the closing lineito=be wound-therearound. Such movement-of the closing line causes thepivotally conne'cted ends of the grab arms to move (upwardly which, in conjunction with the links 9, results in closing the farms. 1pos'ition, the grab is lifted from .the ground by continuedoperation of crane drum A.

Unloadingof the grab is accomplished by winding up the -supp0r ting'1ine'2'l on crane drum E sufliciently to take up the slack in that line and then :applying a brake (not shown) to drum E. The operator then releases a holding brake -(not shown) on-crane drum A which I'esults'in relieving the tension :in 'the operating line 20 :and in the closing line I19 and in relieving the cane L h'eld by the grab from the pressure of the grab Jarms. The'cane is thus free :to fall and 'in doing so forces the grab arms open:suddenly. This sud- -den forced opening of the .grab arms exerts a downward pull on line +9 which accelerates drums ":13 and M. The acceleration of drum -l3 builds ;-up considerable energy .in its heavy periphery which, when transmitted through operating line 210, serves to overcome the inertia of cane 'A'and thus enables a sufficient amount 20f the line to be -.rewound on drum 25 so that the ggrab will be in condition for another cycle of operation.

With its arms in this porting frame, a pair of pivotally connected grab arms, links movably connecting said arms to the frame, a pair of rotatable drums mounted on said frame with their axes of rotation fixed with respect thereto, said drums being operatively connected so that rotation of one will induce rotation of the other, means for rotating one of said drums, and flexible means attached :to the other of said drums and to said arms adjacent their point of pivotal connection so that upon rotation of said last named drum said flexible means is caused to wind therearound and thus close said arms.

2. A cane grab comprising a lifting and sf;- porting frame, a pair of pivotally connected grab arms, links movably attached to said arms intermediate their ends for movably connecting them to 'the frame,and means for moving said arms to closed position including a pair of operatively connected drums spaced from said arms and r0- tatably mounted on said frame with their axes of rotation fixed with respect to the frame, 'a flexible member connected to one of said drums for rotating both of said drums, and flexible means independent of said flexible member conheated at one end to said arms adjacent their point of pivotal connection andconnected at the other end to the other one of said drums so as to be "capable eof being wound therearound upon rotation of said drums by said flexible member to iclo'seisaid arms.

3. :A cane grab comprising a lifting and sup- ;porting frame, .a'pair of pivotally connected grab tarmsfiinkslmovably connecting said arms to the frame, and means for moving said arms to closed position including two drums of unequal :diamieters rotatably mounted on said frame with their laxes .of1rotation fixed with respect to the frame, said :drum's being adapted :to be rotated by means cooperable' with the drum of largest diameter, and'flexible means attached to said arms'adja- 'cent their point of pivotal connection and attached to the drum-of smallestdiameter so as'to be wound therearound .upon rotation thereof :and thus 'closezsaid arms.

4. A cane grab comprising a lifting and. supporting frame, a pair :of pivotally connected grab arms, links movably connecting said .arms-to'the frame, a pair of rigidly connected drums rotatably mounted onsaid frame with their axes of rotation fixed with respect thereto, said drums being 'of unequal "diameters and having spirally :grooved peripheries, a flexible member adapted to be wound in the grooved periphery vof the larger diameter drum for rotating both drums, and flexible means attached to said smaller diameter drum and to said arms adjacent their point'of pivotal connection to each-other whereby upon rotation of said drums in one directionLsai'd flexible means is caused to wind around the .grooved periphery of thelsmaller diameter drum and thus close said arms.

THOMAS vA. GUILD. 

